Okay 1911 guys...whats up with armscor

[orangeninja]

I saw an Armscor 1911 .45 with a beaver tail extended safety, full length guide rod etc....I picked it up, inspected it...pulled the trigger etc and kept looking for a cut corner or shoddy workmanship or some reason to hate it....I can't find one. The price was even less than a Springy GI...so tell me what your opinion of the Armscor 1911's are.

Thanks

 

[Zardoz]

Some work very well but the barrels aren't that great. They use cheap labor to keep the costs down (like the GI) but are all cast. I'd lean towards the GI or Norinco myself but if you want all the bells a whistles on a budget, you may want to give a RIA or Armscor a try.

 

[joegerardi]

While it's true that all RIA's are cast, I have to say that my RIA 1911A1-pattern is every bit as good as my SA GI. And, it was a hundred dollars cheaper to boot.

..Joe

 

[Karate]

Not to steal a thread but I would like of opinions of the SA GI...I bought one and have enjoyed it enough to want to upgrade it, if it is of sufficent quality...or would I be better to trade it in on a better 1911...I have about 500 rounds though it with no problems

 

[orangeninja]

Karate...you should check out the floating thread in auto loader handguns by Tuner I believe. It should tell you all you want to know about the GI.

So whats the biggie with cast parts? Don't they cast engine blocks now days?

 

[stans]

The cheap 1911's usually do have cast slides, frames and small parts, except for the barrel. If a part is properly made and heat treated, it should be just fine. Unfortunately, if a void occurs in the casting then it represents a weak spot. If the casting is not properly heat treated, it could be either too soft or too hard and brittle. Cast parts are usually more porous than forged or milled bar stock, so the finish is usually not as good if you are looking for a well polished blue finish. Custom gunsmiths usually prefer forged slides and frames if they are going to be peening the frame rails and squeezing the slide to tighten tolerances, a casting may crack while attempting this procedure.

 

[Shootcraps]

They work great! I have an RIA and it shoots very well. For $300 you can't beat it. Probably the best gun bargain available.

 

[Tomac]

They work great! I have an RIA and it shoots very well. For $300 you can't beat it. Probably the best gun bargain available.

Ditto...
Tomac

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Do they make a Commander-sized model?

Does anyone have one?

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

the trigger guard isn't the right shape/size, and they might not fit in some kydex holsters. also, they look ugly.

 

[orangeninja]

the trigger guard isn't the right shape/size, and they might not fit in some kydex holsters. also, they look ugly.

Actually the one I held looked alright except for the "Armscor" roll mark on the side in gold lettering.

 

[m39fan]

I picked one up 3 weeks ago. After throwing the factory mag away and getting better ones, I've had no problems. I've been happy with everything but grips. I didn't like the stock ones and tried to replace them but had to do some minor fitting due to the ambi/extended safety. I do believe that I had to do this on a Norinco with the same type of safety some 5yrs. ago. BTW - My Armscor fits all of my 1911 holsters (Fobus, Milt Sparks) and has a "normal" shaped/sized triggerguard. My advice? By one and spend the savings on ammo!

HTH,
Mike

 

[horge]

I reviewed an Armscor Practical FS 2-Tone not too long ago

NIB, it was packed bone dry. It came with a dull ramp, but after a short breaking-in (I further polished it with superfine steel wool, too), it has been reliable for the 200 rounds (give or take a few) I've shot through it since then. Part of the barrel bushing had to be opened up a bit: it was pinching the spring plug. That's about it.

For the price, I think this was a good purchase --and I do enjoy tinkering with it almost as much as I do shooting it.

 

[wally]

I just picked up a new 5" Armscor 45 for $330. Tight with great trigger. I only had time to put 50 rounds thru it before I had to leave on a trip, but both mags it came with functioned fine as did CMC 8 & 10 rounders and a 7-round GI mag.

So far none of the QA/QC issues I had initially with my Charles Daly which after the initial problems is still going fine after ~4200 rounds.

The triggers on these two Armscor made guns compare very favorably to my Kimbers, not quite as accurate as the Kimbers are, but close.

If every new Armscor coming in is as nice as the one I picked up at last Saturday's HGCA show they will sell a boatload once the word gets out.
I've not been this impressed by a new gun performace/price since I got my Norinco for $220 in 1994.

Feature wise, these guns compare with the Springfield "loaded" models at nearly twice the price, not the GI model. The RIA guns compare with the SA GI model guns.

--wally.

 

[orangeninja]

Thanks Wally...I knew I wasn't smoking crack. Armscor really seems to have gotten their act together.